Page 74 of Merrick

“Darling?” She frowned at him. “Of course I have.”

“No,” he hauled her on top of him. “Say it again.”

“You’re weird.” She framed his face with her hands. “My darling husband.”

The kiss was potent and had them tumbling headlong into ecstasy.

*****

It was a delight getting to know her. The woman he was married to was unpredictable, moody and he loved her to pieces. She was also untidy and made no apologies for it. She was a workaholic, a stickler for the victims she stood for.

She would growl and complain about slapping on makeup and wearing fancy clothes, but at the end of it, she was there right beside him.

The week after the honeymoon, she came home while he was in the middle of setting their meals out on the balcony. He had left the office earlier than usual to instruct Mrs. Hanson, their housekeeper, on where to put things that had been shipped just this morning and was waiting for his wife’s reaction.

He had told her while she was on her way where they would be eating and heard her come into the bedroom and went straight to take a shower.

A smile touched his lips as he waited for her to come storming out and did not have long to wait. Not even bothering to dress, she grabbed a robe he had set out for her and came marching towards him, eyes flashing.

“They are all going back. Every last one of them.”

“Good evening to you, darling.” He said mildly, uncorking the bottle of Cabernet he had selected to go with their mushroom chicken. “And how was your day?”

He imagined he could see steam coming out of her ears as she continued to glare at him.

“This is not a joke. A closet full of fancy clothes? Silk sweaters? Designer trousers? I am a bloody cop. Jeans and a t-shirt andjacket and when the time is cold, flannel shirts do the trick. You are sending them back.”

“No, I’m not.” He twisted the cork out and poured the wine into the glasses. “You should put something more on, it’s quite nippy.”

She let out what he identified as a strangled growl, before turning on her heels and marching back inside. And wondered if he should go and get her bodily.

Deciding against it, he sat and waited for her to come back out. The love of his life was stubborn, but as he had discovered over the last three weeks – Good God! Was it just three weeks since they had exchanged vows? It felt as if they had been married for years.

He had discovered that she would blow off steam but never allow it to get out of control. They would argue, but it would only be for a few minutes.

Right on cue, she came out, bundled up in a brand coral pink sweatsuit and socks on her feet. Her hair was piled on top of her head and her face looked fresh and impossibly young.

“We’re not done talking about this.” She warned as she went to take her seat. Before she could do so, he snagged her hand and tumbled her into his lap.

“This is not going to make it better.” She muttered, but her tone lacked heat, and she was already wrapping her hands around his neck.

“If you love me, you will stop buying me so many things.”

He simply lifted a brow and had her rolling her eyes.

“Okay, I know how that sounds. Merrick, be reasonable. Where am I going to wear all of that to?”

“Work and whenever we go out to functions.” He skimmed his fingers over her skin made dewy by the special body wash he had bought her in Paris.

“I will not have the entire precinct sneering at me for wearing silk sweaters and hand tooled leather jackets and boots to work. I would die of mortification.”

He flicked a finger over the diamond ring she wore on a chain around her neck.

“That is different. It is worn under my shirt.” She sighed and shook her head. “All of this is going in one ear and coming out the other, isn’t it?”

“Something like that.” He smiled at her indulgently. “I like spoiling you. You told me you had to be contented with hand me downs when you were growing up and I would like to make up for it.”

“It doesn’t matter to me.”

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